Hats off (well, on)

The one thing I never, ever hike without is a wide-brimmed floppy hat. I need the brim to keep the glare out of my eyes and the top to keep my bald spot from getting scalded.

This is approximately the model I have, from Outdoor Research. It’s light, packable, reasonably rugged and easily laundered back into a condition worthy of leaving in the house.

OR also makes a “Seattle Sombrero” that I happen to own as well. The Seattle version is a Gore-Tex-lined rain hat that does kinda/sorta keep the head dry until you work up any kind of a sweat — which is inevitable because it doesn’t breathe worth a hoot. But it is handy to have around during the rainy season as long as you don’t do anything athletic.

I see a lot of backpackers wearing those hats that drape down to your shoulders — I can see how they’d be more practical than slathering on sunscreen constantly. I admire the folks who don’t mind spending big bucks for a cowboy hat they’re going to get all sweaty and nasty on the trail, but I guess I’m too practical to go that route. But they do look dashing.

There’s not a whole lot more to say about hats, I suppose, but whatever you’ve got, be sure to share with the group.

I realize it’s not as light, or nearly as breathable, as the floppy brimmed OR hats, but I love that old school Ed Abbey/NPS Ranger look. And, yes, I know I shouldn’t buy my hiking and backpacking equipment based solely on looks…but dang, that’s a fine looking hat.

I am one of those people that almost never wears a hat. If it is cold I will wear one. I walked the PCT without one. It never seemed to bother me. No sunscreen either or chap stick. Now that I am thinking about it, I think all the other thru hikers had hats. I can’t picture any one without one.

I’m one of those folks who likes the sahara-style caps with the neck-skirt on them. Some of them can be amazingly lightweight and packable. They also offer better wind protection. I also like the Tilley “Airflow” hats.

I think the ultimate sun hat was one I saw for sale at the Livermore Ham Radio flea market over 10 years ago. This was an aluminum pith helmet with a connector for a short ham radio antenna on the little bump on its summit, an inner fleece skull-cap that an electric pump kept misted with water to keep your head moist, and a tiny exhaust fan that drew air past the moist cap and out the back for cooling. It also had an “extension brim” made of metallic fabric that could be folded out from under the metal brim to add another 4 inches or so to its radius. An umbilical cable bundle from the hat to an associated waist pack connected the hat to the radio’s antenna connector, as well as a rechargeable battery and water reservoir in the pack. The fan speed and pump speed controls were also on the pack. The creator of this innovation was bald, which might explain something about the motivation behind the design. But it was totally geeky and totally kewl. I suspect that, at the age this guy was in 1992, he might not be around making and selling his hats any more.

I like a big brim, around 3″, so Australian-style hats are just about right.

For years, I wore an Akubra hat both hiking and around town. I got it the year before the first Indiana Jones movie came out. Accidentally left it at a Thai restaurant and it was gone when I remembered to go back.

These days, I’m wearing a Riverz Outback. A good looking straw hat, but made of polypropylene. The weave stretches a bit, so you can adjust the hatband for the fit you want. Has a very good chinstrap — clips out of the way in back. It floats and washes up with soap and water. It sheds rain better than you would think. It doesn’t breathe quite as much as I’d like in warm weather. The rim flaps a bit in the wind, which might bother some people.

My faithful, cheap,(ten bucks at a hardware store) straw hat gave up after three years of canoeing in Canada, summer camp and carpentry. In searching for a replacement I decided to check out the much touted Tilley hat.

After some research I decided on the LTM6 Airflo and hoped it would be equal to the rather steep ($70.00) price. Constructed of something Tilley calls Nylantium the hat weighs in a a svelte 4 ounces, appears to be indestructible and sits lightly on my big (size 8) bald head. It keeps sweat off my brow while maintaining a cool head (at least physically). A generous brim offers ample shade for neck, ears and face and a stout cord keeps it on my head in the wind.

The hat preformed admirably during a weeks canoeing and has won me over.

The single drawback is my suspicion that the hat makes me look codgerly. But, once again, reason supplants vanity because I really need the protection and comfort it affords. So I embrace codgerhood beneath a hat that removes all doubt.

As much as I hate to admit it, my reason for avoiding wide-brim hats is that they make me look dumb. Even though my big, jutting ears would benefit from the added protection, I resort to one of a couple faded baseball caps and a bottle of SPF 30.